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October 1948. "Bathing suit models in swimming pool." Bikini much? Not atoll. Anyone seen my gingham handkerchief? Photo by Toni Frissell. View full size.
I don't think there's a sting ray in the photo. (Where's the tail?) That's just an illusion created by light reflecting off waves. You can see similar illusions at the bottom middle of the photo, and also bottom left.
This doesn't really look like a swimming pool. There's junk on the bottom, and what looks like a sting ray in the upper right of the image.
This picture is very reminiscent of the dozens of Esther Williams movies which were basically created from the elaborate synchronized swimming routines of the beautiful Esther and other gorgeous and talented swimmers and handsome leading men. She did in fact design an entire line of swimsuits in the style of her hayday and she also had a line of E.W. swimming pools. I believe her swimsuits may still be available today. By the way, she will be 92 yrs. old on August 8th
A scant 30 years earlier ( 1918 or so) this pic would have shown the gals floating around in heavy black woolen "swim suits", black socks, and bonnets.
Also agree with Blokedownunder:
Nice to see the ladies sans ugly tattoos and multiple body piercings.
And thus humbly began the aspiring sport of asynchronous swimming.
Is that a manta ray in the pool on the right side of the picture?
Would that explain why the girl on the left appears to be looking through some sort of transparent window.
The war over, good times ahead, two pretty women enjoy the day. I wish I was there!
After that effort the other day, this is a pleasure to look at. Personally this does it for me. The 40’s and 50’s swimsuits with ruching are devine. NOTE: not one of those abominable tattoos to be seen here.
The Bikini, as inferred in the caption, was named after the nuclear tests on Bikini Atoll and was said to have created a chain reaction in the fashion world. A competing design, "L'Atom" never caught on.
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